1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ultra multiple connector and, more particularly, relates to an ultra multiple connector to be used in connecting, for example, of a wire harness, in which a plurality of connectors are mounted on one frame and which is adapted to connect the frame to a mating connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, number of wires to be bundled in a wire harness for use in automobile, etc., is steadily increasing due to diversification in the electrical components thereof. As a result, the number of connectors for connecting the wire harness to the various electrical components is also increasing.
If, however, the number of connectors is extremely increased, much time and labor are required for the connection between the connectors and the wire harness and a large exclusive space therefor is necessary. For this reason, an ultra multiple connector having a very large number of terminal accommodating chambers within a connector has recently been proposed.
The proposed ultra multiple connector generally comprises a plurality of separate housings and a frame into which these housings are loaded. Each housing is formed as a tube opened at the both ends thereof, and a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers are formed within the housing. A terminal metal member to which a respective terminal of the wire harness is connected is loaded into each terminal accommodating chamber. A lid-like rear holder for preventing coming out of the terminal metal loaded into the terminal accommodating chamber of the housing is mounted on an end surface on the wire harness connecting side of the housing, and an outwardly projecting engaging member is integrally formed on an end edge portion of the rear holder.
Further, a bolt holder having a fixing bolt mounted thereon is formed at the inner side center portion of the frame, and hollows opened both upwardly and downwardly for the loading of the housings are formed on the portions of the frame on the both sides of the bolt holder. On the upper end edge of the hollow, an engaging member for engaging the engaging member of the rear holder mounted on the housing is formed in a manner projecting inwardly.
Here, the housing is loaded into the hollow portion of the frame such that the housing is inserted into the frame and this housing is moved laterally to position the engaging member of the rear holder into the engaging member of the frame. In this state, the housing is slightly movable in the lateral direction with respect to the frame.
In the above conventional ultra multiple connector, the frame is engaged with the mating connector on which terminal metal members are mounted in the state where the housing is loaded into the hollow portion of the frame and the engaging member of the rear holder is caused to engage the engaging member of the frame. By screwing the fixing bolt into a nut provided on the mating connector, the terminal metal member at the interior of the housing and the terminal metal member of the mating connector are connected to each other. Thereby, an ultra multiple connector having a large number of terminals may be readily connected. In this case, since the housing is adapted to be somewhat movable within the frame, the housing may be properly engaged with the mating connector even when a small error occurs in the dimensions thereof.
In such conventional ultra multiple connector, however, since the engaging member of the rear holder is engaged with the engaging member of the frame at the inside thereof to prevent the coming out of a housing from the frame, etc., the housing inside the frame is completely concealed. As a result, there is a disadvantage that, in the case where loading of the housing into the frame is incomplete or in the case where mounting of the rear holder onto the housing is incomplete, it is difficult to check such loaded state of the housing. A falling off of the housing from the frame or a coming out of the terminal metal member which has been loaded into the housing may occur when loading of the housing into the frame is incomplete or when mounting of the rear holder onto the housing is incomplete. This results in the cause of a defect in the electrical connection.
Further, the housing is loaded into the frame so that it is concealed. Therefore, if an error occurs in the terminal metal member loaded into the housing, the maintenance thereof is possible only after firstly removing the housing from the frame and then removing the rear holder from the housing. This greatly reduces the operability thereof.
The present invention has been made in view of the above.